


Crooked Wands

by with_wit_and_perfect_timing



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Six of Crows Series - Leigh Bardugo
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, BAMF Minerva McGonagall, Crazy Dumbledore, Crossover, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Curvy Nina, Dyslexic Wylan, Female Character of Color, Hogwarts Express, Homophobia, Jesper is a Ravenclaw, Jesper is on Snape's bad side, Kaz Brekker Needs A Hug, LGBTQ Character, Multi, Quidditch, Remus Lupin Lives, Shy Inej, Wylan is good at potions
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-10
Updated: 2017-08-31
Packaged: 2018-10-30 11:26:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10875816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/with_wit_and_perfect_timing/pseuds/with_wit_and_perfect_timing
Summary: Wylan Van Eck: A scrawny redhead with a crush, Ravenclaw, brilliant at Potions, and desperately trying to keep his grades up.Jesper Fahey: Tall, dark, and charming, this Ravenclaw is brilliant at Herbology and wandlore, tutored in Potions by a cute redhead, and permanently on Snape's bad side. (Runs underground bets during Quidditch games)Inej Ghafa: This quiet, cunning Gryffindor is possibly the world's best Quidditch Seeker (somehow, she always gets across the field without a single person seeing her), intrigued by a dark-haired boy with a limp.Nina Zenik: The new Gryffindor announcer for the Quidditch games, thanks to her bold, confident air, this daring Muggle-born brunette can be seen following a blonde, grumpy man-child across the schoolgrounds relentlessly.Kaz Brekker: Slytherin, force to be reckoned with, gloved, secretive, and hopelessly in love with the new Quidditch seeker.Matthias Helvar: Pure-blood; much larger than the other boys, easily agitated, surprisingly gentle with the magical creatures, Hufflepuff much to his disgust, will resort to violence when prompted (when comments are cast towards Nina Zenik by boys), and a talented Beater for the Hufflepuff Quidditch team.





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> All teacher characters (Lupin, Snape, Dumbledore, etc) will remain in the story. However, characters like Harry, Hermione, Luna Lovegood, Neville, etc, are most likely not going to be mentioned (it would complicate the story and my writing skills are not developed for that many characters in a single story)
> 
> If anything in this story seems out of place, or inaccurate in either universes, please do not hesitate to comment! I'm not a HUGE Harry Potter geek (I adore it, but I'm not completely familiar with all aspects of the fandom and world) so please point out any false information that I have written, it would help me immensely!

                WYLAN

 

            Wylan Van Eck never asked to be a wizard, let alone asked to be sent to a bloody boarding school to learn how to be a better one.

            “What kind of name is Hogwarts anyways?” he mumbled, sinking deeper into his seat. He had known of his wizard heritage and powers since a young age, but didn’t know why his father was determined to send him away because of it. In his opinion, it all seemed rather pointless.

            His father, Jan Van Eck, sat across from him at his desk, a stern look hardening his features. He had just given his son a Hogwarts pamphlet explaining the school and its many elements, probably in hopes that Wylan would benefit from the strict but compassionate atmosphere. He pressed his fingertips together and exhaled through his mouth slowly.

            “It’s the name of the school,” his father said dully.

            Wylan folded his arms. “Thank you for clearing that up.”

            “Don’t get smart with me, boy,” his father snapped. “I thought I ought to tell you before your letter arrives.”

            “My letter?”

            “Your letter of acceptance. Every young wizard receives one when they come of age.” His father’s voice droned, as if he had rehearsed his words.

            “When I turn twelve?” Wylan asked.

            “Actually, _most_ children receive one when they are eleven, but seeing as you were held back a year, I’m sure the administration got confused.”

            Of course. Van Eck was always eager to remind his son of his constant under comings and shameful grades.

            Wylan shifted uncomfortably in his seat, running a hand through his tangle of curls.

            “What do I need to do?” Wylan asked quietly, his voice tight.

            His father began to type numbers into his calculator, writing down numbers absentmindedly. “Raphael will take you to Diagon Alley tomorrow morning to gather and purchase your school supplies, and Martha is currently packing your things.”

            “Yes, but what do _I_ need to do?” Wylan asked impatiently, restless to get out of his father’s office.

            His father looked at him over the rims of his reading glasses, and stared at him for a long moment, making Wylan’s skin crawl with his icy glare.

            “What you can do,” Van Eck hissed, “is pray to God that your teachers are merciful towards your incompetence in simple academic tasks. That you can slide through seven years of school without flunking every bloody class. That you find even a single person that can somehow tolerate you despite your insufferable condition. _That_ is what you can do, dear Wylan.”

            Heat flickered across Wylan’s cheeks as his eyes began to sting. Somehow, Wylan knew no matter how old he got, he would never grow immune to his father’s words.

            Clenching his jaw to keep his tears in his eyes, Wylan stood up slowly. “Thank you, sir.” And he walked out of the room before his father could see him cry.

            That night, as Wylan lay awake in bed, tucked in by Martha hours ago, tears slipping down his temple, he could sense a strong feeling approaching. _Hope._ In a few days’ time, he would be out of this blasted house, away from his father and the words that come with him, the words that somehow plagued Wylan whether or not his father was around at all. He would be hundreds of miles away, in a place he could perhaps call home, maybe even find a friend or two. He would find a way to be happy, though he never thought in a million years that happiness was a feeling you had to achieve.

            ************************************************************************

            Diagon Alley was exceptionally busy at this time of year, wizards of all shapes, colors, and sizes bustling about to get last minute supplies for the start of the school year. An autumn wind blew through the streets, adding a breezy serenity to the scene.

            Wylan held a shopping bag with his school uniform and robes in one hand, and his newly wrapped wand in the other. He scurried after his caretaker and butler, Raphael, and tried his best to keep close and simultaneously not fall flat on his face.

            “Come along now, Master Wylan,” Raphael called to the small boy, dodging and weaving flawlessly through traffic.

            Wylan tripped, and a stranger’s elbow slammed directly into his temple.

            “Watch it!” the stranger growled.

            “So sorry, very sorry,” Wylan choked, shaking the red and black dots from clouding his vision.

            “Last stop is Flourish and Blotts, sir,” Raphael told him as they neared the bookstore.

            A nervous feeling fluttered in Wylan’s stomach as he thought of all the books his father would spend money on, and how he wouldn’t be able to comprehend any single one of them.

            Raphael stopped at the entrance of the store and waited patiently for Wylan to catch up and join him. “Before we go in,” he said in a gentle tone, “I need you to know that you mustn’t be scared of these schoolbooks, Master Wylan. There are many alternatives to reading. You’re a bright young man.” He looked down at Wylan and smiled, his kind eyes crinkling at the edges. “You’ll find a way. I know you will.”

             _That makes one of us._

            **********************************************************************

            One week later, Wylan stood at King’s Cross Station at 10:50am with Raphael by his side. He held half of his luggage in his arms, while his caretaker held the other half, including his brand new screech owl, Stella.

            “Here it is, Master Wylan,” Raphael announced, loading the luggage into a cart. “Platform 9 ¾.”

            Wylan squinted at the brick wall, wondering if he was missing anything. “But there’s nothing here.”

            “It appears so, but the Hogwarts Express is right through there. It’s quite simple really, just walk straight through, and there will be a man to take your luggage to the train and regulate your entry.”

            Wylan’s arms went stiff, and he could feel the nervousness increase to a frenzy in his gut. He swallowed dryly, nearly choking on his effort. Then he felt a heavy hand on his shoulder.

            “You can do this, Master Wylan. I believe you can.”

             Before Wylan decided against it, he wrapped his wire-thin arms around Raphael’s waist and squeezed tight. “Thank you,” he whispered.

            Raphael laughed deeply and patted Wylan on the head. “I’ll see you for Christmas, Master Wylan.”

            Wylan took hold of his cart with shaking hands. “I would say I would write, but…”

            Raphael laughed once more, his rosy cheeks easing Wylan’s anxiety for a moment. “You’re a smart boy, Wylan. Do me proud.”

            “I will certainly try.”

            Raphael gave the boy a small salute, and Wylan took a deep breath. He tightened his grip on the handlebars of his cart, closed his eyes, and ran forward at full force into the wall.

            A split second of weightlessness occurred, and when Wylan opened his eyes, he was no longer at King’s Cross Station. Instead of Muggle citizens, dozens of children dressed in the same uniform, scrambling about to get their things in order. The atmosphere was frantic and exciting, and the boy couldn’t help but watch as children his age and older happily boarded the train, all awaiting their future.

             Wylan released a long breath, and was instantly knocked over by a sudden force from behind. His cart toppled, spilling his luggage across the concrete ground.

            “Ah, hell!” he heard someone exclaim, but he was too dazed to see exactly who. He got to his knees and blinked his eyes to stabilize his vertigo.

            “I’m really sorry about that,” said the same voice. This time, Wylan had enough vision to see the boy who had run into him.

            He was tall, brown, and lanky, with dark brown eyes wide with concern, and full lips turned down at the corners. The stranger was standing, and Wylan, after staring for a bit too long (isn’t _any_ kind of staring too long?), noticed he was holding out his hand.

            Wylan clasped it and the stranger brought him to his feet, but didn’t let go of his hand. Instead, he shook it eagerly, and Wylan couldn’t help but enjoy the contrast of his pale skin tone to the boy’s much darker tone.

            “Again, sorry about that,” the boy said, giving Wylan’s hand one last tug. “I’m Jesper, Class A klutz, as you can probably tell.”

               Wylan blinked once and coughed, “Van Eck – I mean, Wylan, sir.” _Sir?_

            Jesper eyed him curiously, and Wylan kicked himself for letting his privileged upbringing show so obviously.

            “Here, let me help you with your luggage there, Wylan.” Jesper knelt and worked quickly to replace Wylan’s cart to its former glory, smiling brilliantly the whole time.

            Wylan stood there, thinking frantically of what he was going to say next, or say at all for that matter. Could this be a new friend? _Don’t get ahead of yourself,_ his father’s voice told him.

            “Stick with me; we can sit together on the train, yeah?” Jesper turned the handlebars of the cart towards the redhead.

            Wylan nearly choked on his words. “Erm – uh – w-well…” He could feel the redness spreading from his cheeks to his neck to his ears.

            Jesper’s eyebrow cocked up. “Unless,” he said slowly, a corner of his mouth turning up, “you have other plans?”

            Wylan finally gave up on speaking completely, and shook his head.

            “Then it’s settled,” Jesper’s teeth flashed bright. “Follow me.”

            And Wylan did. 


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Inej meets a bold brunette, a grumpy blond, and soon joined by a skinny pale boy with gloves and a limp.

            INEJ

 

             Inej Ghafa, unlike Wylan, had been waiting for this day her entire life.

            Her parents, both possessing magical abilities, had been preparing Inej her whole life for Hogwarts, telling her hundreds of stories, and the dozens of adventures they had during their years. How they met, fell in love, married, and were blessed with a child bearing their talents. They had told her of her heritage, her ancestors who emigrated from the northwest of Ravka to the East, in search of new life and someone to share their culture with, bringing new and rare magic along with them.

            They decided to send Inej to Hogwarts in hopes of unlocking her uncommon abilities in a controlled, safe environment. They saved up for years, even before she was born, and scraped enough funds to get Inej into the school, and to provide the very best supplies.  

            Ever since Inej was a wee baby, she had been completely amazed by magic. Her parents would use it to do little things, like cook dinner and folding clothes. Funnily enough, Inej was still responsible for washing dishes every day by hand despite her parents’ skills. “It builds character,” her mother told her firmly. Still, even by completing simple tasks with a flick of a wand and a mere thought both frightened and astonished the girl. She wanted magic. She could feel it in her bones, under her skin, at her very fingertips and down to her core. She just needed to practice.

            Standing at Hogwarts Express was so exhilarating, Inej wondered if she would faint from it. Her long black hair was being whipped every which way in the flurry of the traffic. A familiar feeling swelled up inside of her. _This isn’t real. This is all a beautiful dream, a mere fantasy. I ought to wake up before I get too overwhelmed._ But even as Inej shut her eyes tightly and reopened them, the train was still there, waiting for her.

            She wiped away the last of her tears, leftover from the heartfelt goodbye she exchanged with her mother and father. Gripping her luggage cart with newfound confidence, she pushed forward, and took a leap of faith.

           

             The train’s compartments looked far more comfortable than they actually were. If Inej was going to suffer several hours of stiff leather and back pain, she might as well find a decent person to sit with.

            Before long, Inej found two persons. A talkative, brown-haired, green-eyed girl named Nina Zenik, and a scornful-looking blonde boy named Matthias. Inej couldn’t help but think that she had saved Matthias a train ride of agony by sharing a compartment with the two of them. She liked Nina, though. She had spunk, and had an air of confidence Inej had always wanted. Nina reminded her of her mother; bold, loud, and never apologized for being either.

            It was 10:30am when they decided to sit together. Nina and Inej sat next to each other, Inej setting her black cat, Melas, between them and smoothed her fur down.

            “So, what classes are you most excited for?” Nina asked them excitedly.

            Inej had long prepared her answer. “Transfiguration. Oh, and History of Magic. I already know a bit of both.”

            Nina’s emerald eyes sparkled. “How?”

            “Both of my parents are wizards. I grew up with it.” Inej tried her hardest not to sound pretentious. She didn’t want them thinking she was a snot-nosed little girl.

            But Nina just looked impressed. “That’s brilliant.” She turned to Matthias, who sat across from her with his arms folded. “What about you, Matty?”

            “It’s Matthias,” he grumbled, but sat up straighter and answered, “Magical creatures.”

            Nina nodded, “It’s too bad the first years’ don’t get that option yet. I hear the professor is fantastic.”

            Inej scratched Melas behind the ears. “I guess we have to learn how to take care of regular animals before we start handling magical ones.”

            “What pet did you pick, Matthias?” Nina asked.

            Matthias frowned, “Can’t you see my owl’s cade from where you’re sitting?”

            Nina tilted her chin up, eyeing the shelf high above Matthias’s head where his snowy owl slumbered peacefully, but she just shrugged. “I guess I didn’t notice it before.”

            Matthias rolled his eyes and sighed, “ _Her._ You never noticed _her_ before. Her name is Faghira.”

            “How sweet. Well, since no one asked,” Nina said, opening a small box that she had set beside her earlier and pulling out a toad, “I have a frog as a pet. I wanted a snake, but that wasn’t an option, so I guess this is the next best thing. I mean, they’re both reptiles, so they’re practically cousins.”

            Matthias nearly choked. “It’s a toad, not a frog. And _toads_ are amphibians, _not_ reptiles,” he groaned.

            Nina squared her shoulders. “Same thing.”

            “No, it’s _not,_ Nina,” Inej managed through a fit of laughter.

            “Whatever!” Nina grinned. “Except my toad looks a bit grumpy. Maybe I’ll name him Matthias.”

            “Please don’t name your pet after me.”

            “Fine.” Nina lifted the brown blob up and examined it carefully. “Matthias will be his middle name.”

            The blonde’s expression only made Inej laugh harder; a strong, genuine laugh that she hadn’t released in a long while. A laugh she would only use when her father told one of his jokes, causing both her and her mother to double over in tears.

            Inej wiped away the wetness from her eyes, enjoying the aching feeling she had in her stomach that she got when she laughed for much too long, and she knew today would be a good day.

            The train whistle sounded, and Nina glanced at her watch. “Ten minutes till departure,” she announced.

            Inej nodded and began to busying herself with braiding her hair when a face appeared in the closed compartment. A boy, pale and dark haired, with a distant, yet longing look in his eyes, stood there.

            Unfortunately, Inej wasn’t the only one to notice him, and before she could approach the boy, Nina was already flinging open the door.

            “Come and join us! You’re not going to get very far just standing there.”

            Inej thought the boy was going to keel over from embarrassment. All of what little color was left in his face drained, and he stumbled back, balancing on his walking stick. He looked at Inej in desperation, his eyes pleading.

            “Come on,” Inej beckoned timidly, “If you want.”

            The boy looked back at Nina, who raised her eyebrows in impatience, and he nodded.

            “Come and sit,” Nina smacked the seat next to Matthias and the boy sat, sticking one of his legs out, looking incredibly uncomfortable. “What’s your name?”

            The boy swallowed and blinked twice. He flexed his hands, which Inej noticed were gloved. “Kaz. I’m sorry for intruding.”

            “Don’t fret, poppet, we’re all friends here.” Nina crossed her legs and placed her chin in her fists. “Kaz is a nice name.”

            “Thank you.”

            Inej brought Melas into her lap and smiled at the boy. “What brought you to our humble abode?”

            Kaz sat frighteningly still, and avoided her eye. “I…I heard laughing.”

            Inej immediately sucked in a breath and suppressed a smile, knowing it was her noise that brought the boy to their compartment. Kaz recoiled at her reaction, and pressed his lips into a thin line.

            “That was Inej,” Nina giggled, nudging her. “That’s Matthias, and I’m Nina. It’s nice to meet you, Kaz.”

            Kaz nodded, “Likewise.”

            “Oooh, he’s very polite,” Nina cooed.

            Inej laughed once more, and the corners of Kaz’s thin line turned up.


	3. Chapter Three

            JESPER

 

            As the ten minute warning whistled throughout the station, Jesper Fahey wondered whether his mother would have been proud of him, had she seen him trekking across Hogwarts Express with a nervous freckled redhead in tow, hauling two students’ worth of luggage, on his way to _Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry._ The thought was almost too much to bear.

            He could feel her watching over him, from somewhere up there, perhaps even shedding a tear or two to see her little prince, making his way to his dream. He often felt like his mother kept an eye on him, scorning him when he disappointed Da, and praising him when he took a great chance like this one.

            “I am so proud of you,” Da had told him before they arrived at Platform 9 ¾.

            “And Ma?”

            His father held him at arm’s length and looked at him teary-eyed. “Even more so.”

            Jesper was almost convinced.

 

            “Suppose we better get a move on,” Jesper told his new curly-headed companion.

            The boy, Wylan, nodded quickly, looking like he could’ve been knocked over with a feather. “Okay,” he said, but Jesper could hardly hear him over the sound of the station ruckus.

            Somehow, through the grace of the Saints, the two boys made it onto the train in one piece, practically clinging to each other like drowning rats. They could barely fit into the aisle of the train with their luggage in hand.

             “Anywhere in particular you want to sit?” Jesper asked, walking slowly and peering into each compartment.

            Wylan kept his eyes on his shoes, shuffling beside him and looking incredibly nervous.

            “I can’t make all the decisions here,” Jesper quipped, nudging the boy and nearly knocking him over.

            “Sorry!” Wylan exclaimed, and that was when Jesper realized he was apologizing for Jesper knocking him. “We can sit anywhere. I don’t have a preference.”

            Jesper knew this was going to be a long train ride.

            A few doors down, Jesper spotted an interesting looking group of kids his age. A tall girl, who looked like she was telling a story, a boy who was probably the closest Jesper would get to see a vampire, a beautiful dark-eyed girl with a black cat in her lap, and a large blond boy who didn’t look like he wanted to be there at _all._

            Without hesitating, Jesper slid the door open with great flourish.

            “What’re you – ” Wylan began, but Jesper knew he had to take it over from there.

            “You all look like a fascinating lot,” he declared with a swagger in his voice. “Mind if my friend and I join you?”

            The tall girl’s eyes flashed a brilliant viridescent. “Please do!”

            The two girls slid closer to the train window, and Jesper took a seat, mentally breathing a sigh of relief that these strangers greeted them without much judgment.

             Wylan stood in the doorway, wringing his hands and once again examining his shoes. Jesper patted the empty space next to him, and Wylan scrambled to sit. _He’s a bit like a mouse, he is._

            “This little one’s name is Wylan. I’m Jesper.”

            Each of the four introduced themselves, the two boys significantly less enthusiastic than the girls. Nina was confident, Jesper liked that very much. She was obviously the leader of the four. Inej, the pretty girl, was quiet, but he could tell she wasn’t timid like Kaz and Wylan seemed to be. Matthias didn’t say much, but Jesper wouldn’t exactly describe him as soft-spoken.

            “So what’s your story, gentlemen?” Nina asked expectedly.

            “Wh-what do you mean?” Wylan squeaked.

            “Home life, family, ancestry, former pets, etcetera, etcetera. Who _are_ you?”

            _Wouldn’t I like to know._

            “Getting a bit existential, are we?” Jesper said.

            “Oh, ‘existential’. A big boy word.” This came from Inej. So she wasn’t as quiet as Jesper thought. _Very interesting._

            “I often pride myself in my broad vernacular,” Jesper said slyly, earning a smiled from the dark-haired girl.

            Nina pointed at Wylan. “Backstory. Wylan. Go.”

            Wylan heaved a sigh and shook his head. “My dad’s a wizard, but he rarely uses magic. He does a lot of business in muggle affairs.”

            “What house was he in?”

            “Probably Slytherin,” Wylan shrugged.

            “What house to do _you_ want to go into?” Jesper asked, nudging him with his elbow.

            The small boy turned pink. “Why am I getting all these questions?”

            “Because we like you, silly,” Nina said with Jesper nodding. “Now answer.”

            “I want to get into Ravenclaw,” Wylan said, the corners of his mouth turned down, “But I don’t know if that will happen.”

            Jesper scrunched his nose, “Why would you want in there? My da says it’s filled with goody-two-shoes.”

            Wylan began to look uncomfortable, and Jesper wished he hadn’t said anything. “It means you’re wise, and that’s always been something I’ve wanted to be.”

            “I want to go into Ravenclaw, too,” Inej piped up. “But my mom says I’m most likely Gryffindor.”

            “That’s the house I’m getting into,” Matthias interjected excitedly, which Jesper thought was a bit out of character.

            Kaz eyed him strangely. “How do you know?” His voice was incredibly deep for a boy his size.

            Matthias puffed out his chest. “It’s been in my family for centuries. It’s practically in my blood.”

            “Don’t get too cocky, Icarus,” Nina sang. “I would personally like to get into Slytherin.”

            Both Wylan and Jesper gaped at her. “Why would you _want_ to get into Slytherin? Everybody hates Slytherins,” Wylan told her.

            Nina tilted her head to the side, “For good reason?”

            Wylan shrugged. “Probably not. But it doesn’t help that all the historically famous Slytherins turned out to be bonkers or evil.”

            “Who’s to say I’m not both?” Nina asked with a dastardly grin.

            “Before we start assuming the absolute worst in each other,” Jesper cut in, “I have another conversation topic. How did you lot find out you were a wizard?”

            “Ooh, I want to go first!” Nina was practically jumping in her seat.

            “Take it away.”

            “I used an _inflatus_ jinx on my classmate when I was six,” Nina said proudly. “I had read it in one of my mother’s old textbooks.”

            Inej laughed a nice, hearty sound. “Why did you use it?”

            Nina scrunched up her face in pretend anger. “I wanted to give her a taste of her own medicine. She called me fat.”

            Inej cooed softly and placed a motherly hand on Nina’s knee.

            Matthias frowned. “But you’re not.”

            “I’m not what?”

            “Fat.”

            Nina raised her eyebrows and laughed; the kind of laugh that ends the moment it begins. “Well, aren’t you a charmer.”

            Matthias responded by folding his arms tighter around himself.

            “How about you, Inej?” Jesper asked.

            Inej smiled kindly and Jesper caught a distant look in her eye. “My parents were both wizards, so they had a pretty good idea that I was a witch. Once I made a leaf float, that was the answer to the question.”

            Wylan’s story was something similar.

            “My bu – uncle Raphael found out when I made the piano play on its own,” he told them.

            _Ah, a musical fellow. Very interesting, indeed._

Jesper cleared his throat. “My da found me growing his crops faster than they were supposed to. Funny thing is, I didn’t even know I was doing it.”

            “I didn’t take you as the farming type,” Inej said.

            “I’m a jack of all trades,” Jesper winked.

            Matthias’s story was to be expected.

            “They bothered me, so I made them fly,” he said simply. Jesper didn’t need to hear any context to get the gist of it.

            “Remind me never to get on your bad side,” Wylan had mumbled.

            But Kaz’s tale took the cake. It put all of the other’s to shame.

            “Um,” he started quietly, “Dumbledore told me.”

            A hush fell over the room, and it was so silent that Jesper could feel Wylan’s heartbeat from next to him. Even Matthias’s mouth fell open. Jesper realized this was going to be the only time he was going to see Nina speechless.

            “D-Dumbledore? _The_ Albus Dumbledore?” Inej pressed, leaning forward precariously in her seat.

            Kaz set his jaw and pinked, but only slightly. _He really is cute._ “I suppose.”

            Wylan’s eyes were wide open, bright blue in wonder. “I don’t – ” he stuttered. “How?”

            Kaz was obviously not used to this kind of attention. Jesper noticed he and Wylan handled being uncomfortable differently. Wylan squirmed and stuttered, while Kaz sat still and rigid, and hardly spoke at all.

            “He came to the orphanage, asked my headmaster about me, and then they sent here.”

            “That’s incredible,” Nina breathed. It was nice while it lasted.

            “What’s he like?” Jesper had to ask.

            “Tall,” Kaz said. And then he nearly smiled. “And very, very old.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments are greatly appreciated! Let me know what you think!


	4. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matthias gets an unfortunate surprise.

MATTHIAS

 

            The rest of the train ride was mostly idle chatter, provided ever-so graciously by Inej, Jesper, Wylan, and most of all, Nina. Ever since she first approached Matthias on the train with a broad grin and open arms, her gums had never ceased their insistent flapping. Though Nina’s voice was smooth and energetic, just the mere thought of having to endure this in Hogwarts made Matthias dizzy. And what’s worse, she was practically glowing Gryffindor, which meant there was no physical separation between them. Matthias knew for a fact that if that was to happen, Nina would never truly leave him alone.

            The rest of the group seemed interesting enough to keep Matthias awake. He liked the way Inej observed the whole room during the conversing, and thought about what she was going to say, rather than perpetually blurting out responses like Jesper and Nina. He wasn’t sure he liked Jesper all that much though. _All bark and no bite._ Matthias couldn’t help but think that Wylan was much more than he was letting on, especially when he bought the entire sweet rack with a handful of coins. Once the shock wore off from the group, they ate as though they were purposefully attempted to put themselves in a coma, including Kaz, and even Matthias couldn’t help but snag a few chocolate frogs.

            Matthias also found Kaz interesting. He was quiet, but not silent. Instead of shifting uncomfortably when he was nervous like Wylan did, Kaz sat still, almost frozen, and letting no emotion get past his eyes.

            Before long, the train compartment is filled with nothing but sweet wrappers, chocolate-coated fingers, and hysterical giggling. Nina and Wylan did not hold their sugar well.

            “I think,” Nina managed through fits of laughter, “that we will all be grand friends, won’t we?”

            Matthias groaned internally. Spending an entire year with this people? The thought alone was nearly unbearable. He could barely survive the few hours.

            Unfortunately, everyone, besides Kaz who just gave a quick nod of his head, agreed whole-heartedly. Inej smiled and linked arms with Nina, while Jesper raised his eyebrows and nudged Wylan, who flushed and smiled to his lap.

            Once the train came to a halt, Inej and Nina put up their pets, and they all exited the train together. Thought Matthias wasn’t their biggest fan, he would prefer travelling with a group in a sea of first years. The station was filled with steam and nervous looking eleven-to-twelve year olds. Nina led the group to the edge of the platform, where an abnormally large man stood with broad shoulders and long, scruffy hair and beard. He called all of the first years’ to attention.

            “Firs’ years, firs’ years, come along now, don’t be shy! Watch yer step, now, all of ye’, follow me! We’re off to the boats, don’t be shy now, come along!”

            Carefully watching his step and making sure he didn’t trip over any smaller students, Matthias shuffled his way through the crowd and followed the giant man through the platform’s exit. The night was inky black, and the steam from the train clouded the constellations from sight. A cool breeze blew through the station, and Matthias was glad for his robe and uniform’s thick fabric. Suddenly, he felt a hand grab hold of his and a pull, only to see Nina running ahead of him, arms still linked with Inej, dragging him through the sea of students.

            “C’mon!” she said excitedly, and Matthias wondered how long he was going to survive this.

            The six of them made their way to the docks, where the Great Lake reflected the night sky above. Matthias noticed that Nina didn’t pull too far ahead of Kaz, who moved slower than the others due to his unexplained limp, with Jesper and Wylan keeping him from being separated. They waited in the line to board the small rowing boats, which didn’t look entirely sturdy, Matthias thought. Though the boats looked like they could fit three, maybe four, Jesper and Nina were determined to fit the entire group onto one boat without flipping them into the murky waters.

            Matthias sat, his knees practically digging into his under arms, and held a lantern in his hand. Jesper and Wylan sat elbow to elbow, Inej was practically sitting in Nina’s lap, and Kaz looked like he would rather be anywhere than here. Matthias couldn’t help but notice Kaz flinched at the slightest touch, and only spoke when spoken to for the most part.

            The lake was alight with the yellow glows of lanterns, rocking gently on the water’s current. Inej watched in awe as the boats moved themselves slowly across the body of water. Soon enough, they made it to land, and filed in a messy line to follow the scruffy man – Nina informed them that his name was Hagrid – to the steps of the castle. And what a castle it was.

            Matthias wasn’t sure he had seen anything so grand, rather than the illustrations in a silly fairytale book. In the moonlight, the castle seemed to glow. Not eerily, no – more like enchanting. He could see faint figures swirling under the dark waters, and he could’ve sworn he heard laughing. The castle was bigger than any building Matthias had ever seen, and he knew he wasn’t seeing it in its full glory, when the sun was shining high in the sky. There were a wooded area on the left side of the castle from where Matthias was looking, and he knew that was the Forbidden Forest. The main oak doors were old, but Matthias could tell that they kept it in pristine condition. Hagrid stood right in front of the double doors, calling out unintelligible words that Matthias had already tuned out. Nina was standing much too close for his personal liking, but somehow he knew that he wasn’t planning on shifting away from her anytime soon. How strange.

            Suddenly, the doors opened, and Hagrid led them through the entrance hall, which was the largest entrance hall Matthias had ever seen. He could’ve fit an entire house in the front room, with some space left over. A great marble staircase led up to another pair of large doors, and torches lined the walls. Though it was grand, he couldn’t help but feel a shiver ripple through him from the eeriness of it all. The large group of students was nearly silent, taking in the beautiful detail of the castle. Hagrid shouted another couple of words, and guided them to the near top of the staircase, where an elderly woman stood in a sleek, long black dress, and a strange pointed hat that sat straight on her head. She had black hair, and a severe looking face, and Matthias instantly made a mental note to never get on her bad side. But then she smiled warmly, and the whole group relaxed a bit.

            “Welcome to Hogwarts,” she greeted. “I am Professor Minerva McGonagall. The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be Sorted into your houses”

            A wave of excitement crashed through Matthias, he could hardly contain his grin. Nina clutched his arm harder, and he only then realized she was touching him at all. Jesper nudged Wylan and Wylan ducked his head nervously. Kaz stayed stone faced, but Inej was smiling broadly. Professor McGonagall nodded once, and walked towards the double doors that led to the Great Hall. The doors opened by themselves (this is a wizarding school, isn’t it?), and the students gaped at the magnificent décor. Matthias could feel bubbling glee in his stomach; he could hardly pay attention to the room. He could only focus on one thing, and that was the single stool on the opposite side of the Hall, with a tattered looking hat placed on top. The Sorting Hat.

            There was a table behind the stool, where the professors sat, along with the Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, a legend. If Matthias’s heart hadn’t been beating in his throat, he might’ve had time to be in awe of such a wizard. Professor McGonagall introduced the Headmaster, who announced which parts of the castle were off-limits, as well as the Enchanted Forest, but Matthias could hardly focus on his words, or the way Nina and Inej were whispering excitedly to each other. The hat began singing, some cockney tune with words that were much too fast for him to ever remember. Matthias ran a hand through his lengthy blond hair, and heaved a sigh. He had been waiting his entire life for this day.

            Matthias came from a long line and legacy of Pure-Blood Gryffindors, his parents, his aunts and uncles, and all of his ancestors, for as long as any of them could remember. He possessed magic in every cell in his body, and couldn’t have been more proud of it. His parents had counted the days until his eleventh birthday, and threw him a grand feast the day his letter arrived in the mail, where him and his extended family celebrated well into the night. He had been a bit overwhelmed with all of the attention, and felt the weight of the pressure his parents put on his shoulders. But they always treated him right, with encouragement and hope, never with aggressive scolding and chastising. He grew up with a deep respect for wizards, as that was all he was surrounded by. He seldom saw a muggle, but when he did, he always kept them at a distance. From what he could see, they were rather dull. _Not much going on upstairs,_ his father would always say. His parents always kept him from the muggle world, telling him how dangerous they were, and how they would do nothing but bring violence and harm to him if they were to ever become aware of his magic.

            McGonagall walked towards the stool, where the Hat had ceased its song, and Matthias was pulled from his thoughts. She began announcing names, in alphabetical order. The first one in his personal group of students to be called was Kaz Brekker. He walked up to the stool, and took a seat, face unreadable. The hat had barely touched his head before it cried out with an excited “Slytherin!”

            The Slytherin table applauded enthusiastically, but though Kaz went and sat at their table, he kept a considerable distance from their pats on the back.

            The next person from their group to be called was Jesper, who bounded up to the stool with a gleaming smile on his face. He crossed his legs, and shot a wink in the group’s general direction. The Hat settled on his head, and Matthias leaned forward to hear his murmuring.

            “Ah, _yes,_ very nice, very nice. I see, hm, some bold and reckless blood you have, eh? Very interesting. Ah! But I hint a bit of clever and cunning in you, as well as loyalty, I see, I see.” Jesper couldn’t stop grinning, and he bit his lip. “There it is!” the Hat cried excitedly. “Your brains are excellent! I see it now, it’s very apparent. Ravenclaw!”

            Jesper scrunched up his nose, but didn’t seem too put off from the idea of being with the “goody two-shoes”. He was welcomed politely by the table, and the tension in his face eased as he was embraced by his fellow students.

            The next one in their group was Inej, who silently approached the stool with an air of confidence Matthias hadn’t seen in her before. He could see a breath leave her right as she set, and placed her hands in her lap, staring straight ahead. The Hat fluttered onto her head and immediately began to murmur once again.

            “This one is a jack of all trades, eh? I see a bit of deception in your heart, child, perhaps the soul of a performer, yes? Ah, yes, very bold, very confident, that I _can_ see. Brains to spare, and a heart of gold. Gryffindor!”

            The smile on Inej’s face was broad and the room seemed brighter because of it. She gracefully made her way to the Gryffindor table, and Matthias couldn’t help but be glad that he had Inej in the same house as he was going to be. Out of all of them, she seemed the most tolerable.

            A few more names were called, and they dispersed into their designated houses, and Matthias could feel the hitch in his throat as he realized they were in the H’s now.

            “Matthias Helvar,” McGonagall called. Matthias realized he had been holding his breath for much too long.

            All of a sudden, his knees seemed weak, and the excitement that had been simmering in his stomach bubbled up, and he had to suppress the giddy laugh that threatened to escape his throat. He wrenched his arm from Nina, who was grinning like a loon, and walked to the stool, sitting down and closing his eyes.

            The Hat landed on his head, and before Matthias could even inhale a single breath, it called out, “Hufflepuff!”

            Matthias’s legs were moving off of the stage, but he couldn’t feel it. Suddenly, the room seemed blurry, and he couldn’t hear a thing. _Hufflepuff?_ That was the last house Matthias wanted to be in. A bunch of lilly-livered flower children, filled to the brim with useless kindness and warm greetings. _Soft._ He hated it. What would his parents say? They were both Gryffindors, beyond grateful for their Gryffindor son, or so they thought. He had one job to do in his life, and that was to live up to his legacy. And now, that was unreachable. Impossible.

            Matthias sat at the Hufflepuff, and could tell that the students around him realized his absolute distaste with his placing. They clapped for him, but never put a hand on him.

            More names were called, but Matthias paid no heed to any of them. He vaguely remember Wylan being placed into Ravenclaw, and the deep blush as his table greeted him with open arms. The only name where he tuned into was when McGonagall announced, “Nina Zenik.”

            Nina, a ball of energy, that one, skipped up to the stool. The Hat began to murmur on her head, but Matthias wanted to only focus on one word. And it came.

            “Gryffindor!”

            Matthias was overwhelmed with the amount of rage he felt as Nina made her way to the Gryffindor to link arms with Inej. How could this happen? How could _Nina_ get into Gryffindor, but not himself? She was born to Muggle parents, and she barely had any magic in her blood at all; no legacy, no line of Gryffindor ancestors. How _dare_ she get put into that house, the house that he rightfully deserved.

            The rest of the feast commenced, and the students _oooh_ ed and _ahhh_ ed over the food that accumulated out of thin air, and the chandeliers sparkled. The Hufflepuff table was set on introducing everybody to everybody else, but Matthias never felt more agitated in his entire life. He said not a single word, and felt immature for sulking, but his disappointment towards himself, and his anger towards Nina kept him from doing much else. The food tasted like wallpaper, and all of a sudden, his robe was itchy and too tight around his shoulders. The lights in the room seemed too bright, and the chattering was too loud. Suddenly, everything was too much, and Matthias could feel tears pricking his eyes.

            _Don’t cry, weakling,_ he told himself, _you’re not ten anymore. Don’t be a baby. Don’t be a Hufflepuff. Suck it up and be a man._ He tore off a piece of turkey leg and felt it drop into his stomach like an anchor, so he gave up eating all together.

            After a while, the feast was over, and McGonagall dismissed them to their rooms to get settled. Matthias trailed behind his group, shuffling in the crowd. They were moving too slow. He felt a tap on his shoulder and he lazily looked over his shoulder. Nina.

            “A Gryffindor!” she exclaimed, keeping her hand on his shoulder for balance. “I can’t believe it, I simply cann _ot_ believe it!”

            Matthias could only glare. The only words he was able to spit out were “Don’t touch me again.” He shrugged off her hand and followed his group to the Hufflepuff Basement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ho-ly crap, this took me so long to write. I've been going through a bit of a writer's block, a dry spell, if you will, for creativity. I must've written this scene seventeen times before I got it right. I don't own the first Harry Potter book so I don't know much of the introductary dialogue that the professors have, but I hope I got most of it accurate by memory and a little help from the film, to keep it as brief as possible. 
> 
> Also, I hope in this chapter you can see where the conflict between Matthias and Nina comes in during the ceremony and how it parellels with the conflict in the book! Lots of arguments and TONS of angst to come! 
> 
> Comments and kudos keep my life levels high, so send them as you will! Any concerns or questions, never ever hesitate to voice them! I love answering any questions you might have. Thanks so much for reading, you beautiful majestic manta ray, you.


	5. Chapter Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A friendship blooms.

            NINA

 

            _Don’t touch me again?_ Matthias practically hissed at her like a wild cat, his teeth barred. His voice was a painfully low growl that actually made her flinch. When he turned his back, she couldn’t help but feel the sting, her face turned red. She didn’t even consider him getting into Hufflepuff and how that would upset him. But why was he so ticked off at her?

            _Pure-bloods,_ she thought with irritation. Being Muggle-born made her gather a bit of resentment towards the hoity-toity side of the magic world and wished that everyone could simply get along. You couldn’t control whether or not your child can ride a broomstick, so why hold it against those who can and those who can’t? Why hate someone over the powers they do or don’t possess? The whole issue was a mystery to Nina.

            She decided not to worry about a silly moody boy and joined Inej once again. The elation she felt when she was sorted into the same House as Inej had not yet been matched. She wasn’t sure why she liked Inej so much. Maybe because it was the way she was nothing like Nina. She was quieter, patient, calm. She reminded Nina of a black cat, walking silently but observing everything. She wasn’t sure how long Inej would tolerate her, so she would make the best out of their time together.

            In the sea of children, somehow the Gryffindor first-years found their way to the Great Hall doors. There stood a tall, broad-shouldered boy with a military-style haircut and a firm but not unkind expression. He looked much older than the first years, perhaps fifteen or sixteen.

            “He must be the fifth-year prefect,” Inej murmured, leaning close to Nina’s ear. “They make sure we find our way around the castle and understand everything.”

            Nina, of course, knew this already, but Inej’s voice was steady and low and calmed her nerves that had begun to nestle themselves their way into her gut and throat.

            “Alright, first-years!” the boy called. “Follow me in an orderly fashion, and we’ll all head off to the Gryffindor common room.”

            The group of nervous children shuffled their way out of the Great Hall and up the marble staircase. Paintings lined the walls, moving and peering down at Nina, which made the butterflies in her stomach turn into frogs. She tried to focus on the way Inej had linked their arms and took a deep breath. Staircase after staircase, Nina’s feet trudged up each step until at last the prefect came to a halt.

            A painting of a jolly woman in a pretty pink dress hung at the end of the corridor. “Password?” she asked.

            “Caput Draconis,” answered the military boy.

            The portrait swung open to reveal a large hole in the wall. One by one, the first-years tumbled into a round room, furnished with blankets and armchairs that looked most inviting. A large fireplace was on the far side of the room, already crackling and cozy. The atmosphere instantly calmed her and she squeezed Inej’s arm in comfort.

            The prefect (whose name was Specht, Nina was later informed) showed the girls of the group their rooms, and the boys theirs. Someone had graciously brought everyone’s luggage to each dorm, at the foot of each bed, which looked comfortable and colored beautiful deep red velvet. Nina flopped onto one while Inej sat delicately on the bed beside hers.

            “Oh my sweet Lord’s mercy,” Nina moaned, her voice muffled from the pillow she had buried her face in.

            “You alright?” Inej asked with a smile in her voice.

            “I can’t hear you, I’m making love to my bed at the moment.”

            “ _Nina,_ ” Inej whispered, her laughter breaking through her lips. “You can’t say things like that here!”

            Nina sat up, using her hands to feel the soft fabric of the sheets. “I will say anything I please to this bed. I plan to cuddle and whisper sweet nothings into its ear and sing it into a deep slumber if it fancies it.”

            Inej shook her head, a grin cracked over her face. “You speak unlike anyone I’ve ever met.”

            “You’re in for a ride, darling,” Nina quipped.

            The other students were milling about the room and eventually left to join the others in the common rooms. But Nina and Inej stayed put.

            “Are you scared?” Inej quite nearly whispered. She kept her eyes on her hands that were folded neatly in her lap, one thumb rubbing methodically over the other.

            “Should I have a reason to be?” Nina replied, knowing good and well there were a million reasons to be frightened beyond wits.

            Inej inhaled through her nose and exhaled through her mouth, even her breath was silent. “Like…even though you know you have magic…I don’t know…” She seemed at a loss for words.

            “You won’t be good enough,” Nina finished, her voice low.

            Inej nodded. “I feel as though I’m going to be swept away in this school.”

            “Caught in the undertow.”

            “Exactly.”

            Nina rose from her seat and placed herself on Inej’s side. She grasped her friend’s hand, adoring the contrast of their tone of skin right beside each other’s. “Hang on,” she whispered. “We’ll keep each other afloat, eh?”

            Inej chuckled tearfully. “Are you my buoy or my anchor?” she asked.

            “Both get the job done.”

            “What if I’m _not_ good enough?” Inej asked, true concern clouding her voice.

            Nina didn’t know. She felt as though she was “lesser-than” with Muggle parents. She had heard of the names they call Muggle-borns. Her parents warned her of the teasing and the prejudice. It terrified her. What if she fell into the cliché? Dumb, lazy, _normal._ Inej at least had two brilliant wizard parents and magic flowed through her in every step. Anyone with eyes could see that. But Nina was different. Would she let the judgment get the best of her?

            “Good enough for who?” Nina said. “Good enough for you, or good enough for everyone else?”

            Inej only shrugged.

            “That’s what determines a true wizard,” Nina told her. “That’s what’s most important. Are you going to allow everyone to pave your path, or are you going to get on your own hands and knees and make it for yourself, in the direction of your choice?”

            “Where is this wisdom coming from?” Inej asked with a smirk, laying her head on Nina’s shoulder.

            “I don’t know,” Nina laughed, exhaustion finally taking over her body. “My mother always told me I was excellent at improvisation.”

            “Well, feel free to improvise my mood right up anytime.” Inej’s voice was dreamy now, and her eyes were closed, her hair slipping from its braid.

            Nina shifted her weight and Inej lifted her head. Crawling into her own bed, Nina pulled the covers around herself and her eyes drooped with such intensity and weight that she was surprised she made it this far at all and didn’t just collapse on the floor.

            “Goodnight, Inej.”

            “Goodnight, sweet Nina. Thank you.”

            And the black pulled Nina into a deep sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry this chapter took forever and a half to write! It's a bit short, but classes just started up again and I've begun applying for jobs around my city so things have been a bit hectic. Thanks for following updates, you're so great <3  
>  I've had trouble getting ahold of the Sorcerer's Stone, which gives me all the initial information I need to continue writing this fic! I really hope you enjoy watching the first blossoming of a beautiful friendship that will be one of the key points in this long-term story. 
> 
> Kaz's POV is next, so you're in for a treat!
> 
> Comment your thoughts and concerns! I love responding :)


	6. Chapter Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaz goes through the first week of classes and meets an unexpected enemy.

            KAZ

 

            On the first day of class, Kaz Brekker wondered if he would ever truly figure out the layout of this blasted school. There must’ve been a hundred different staircases, always changing and swapping places, confusing the ever-living blazes out of every student, no matter what house they landed in. The paintings in the hallway mocked you as you passed, calling your attention. Ghosts floated around, taking up space and wasting valuable time. Even the bloody doors were a pain to open. The janitor looked like he skinned infants and his hideous cat looked like she ate them whole. The other students might have thought that Hogwarts was grand and historic, but Kaz couldn’t help but see every fine crack in the school’s foundation.

            He resented them. Whoever ripped him away from the orphanage, away from Jordie. They stripped everything he loved away from him and stuck him to live here for the next seven miserable years. He wished he was a Muggle. Jordie was a Muggle.

            _Quit thinking about your brother, you podge,_ Kaz scolded himself. _He’s not coming back. You just have to make sure he died for a reason._

He didn’t mind the children he met on the train. If anything, they were a distraction to drown out the newfound screaming in his bad leg and the consuming thoughts that threatened to swallow him up. They could even be a potential alliance when the time came. The dark-haired girl, Inej, was a peculiar one. Kaz had a secret talent to be able to profile someone merely moments from laying eyes on them. He could determine what they ate for breakfast that morning by the way they played with their hair. But with Inej, he could’ve stared at her all day and never find a single true thing about her.

            She moved as though she walked on air, yet her steps were cautious as if the floor might just collapse from beneath her feet. He wondered how someone could wear half of their heart on the sleeve and keep the other half so heavily guarded. The only thing he knew about her is that he would never know her enough, and that just wanted him to know even more. He wanted to unlock her.

            His first Transfiguration class was the most interesting of the classes he had had so far. He could see Inej and Nina seated side by side across the classroom in the Gryffindor seats. Matthias sat in the very back of his Hufflepuff section, his arms crossed and features murderous. Jesper and Wylan were seated at Ravenclaw, but had already seemed to make their own friends and were sitting apart.

            Professor McGonagall was at the front of the class, behind her desk and shuffling the last of the papers. Kaz couldn’t help but admire her intimidating demeanor.

            “Good morning, students,” she started off, but Kaz could tell that was the end of the formalities. “Transfiguration is one of the most complicated and dangerous magic you will learn here at Hogwarts. Anyone mucking about in my class will leave and not return.”

            He smirked to himself, already loving this class. Realizing he was smiling, he righted his face. Kaz needed to make sure no one got the impression that he was approachable. That was his only protection in this hellhole.

            McGonagall, throughout the class, attempted to teach the students how to turn a tiny match stick into a needle. Several students had trouble, but Kaz managed it, eye, point, and all.

            “Exceptional work, Mister Brekker,” McGonagall told him. “I see you’re a quick learner.” Kaz had to stifle a ridiculous prideful grin.

            A few other students succeeded in transforming the match; Nina, who squealed like a piglet in excitement, a student named Alina, and of course, Inej, and even she couldn’t help but look the slightest bit pleased with herself. Wylan attempted over and over, but it was no use, and the only thing Jesper managed to accomplish was accidentally lighting the match on fire, sniggering to himself.

            Kaz was determined to become a powerful wizard by the end of his seventh year, possibly the best in the school if he could. No time for goofing off or forming strong bonds. He would eat, sleep, and breathe magic until he was known and respected. Perhaps giving the illusion of befriending the best professors would come to his advantage. He began to think of the children on the train and their usefulness. He really didn’t feel like hand-picking recruiters if he didn’t have to. How talented was this bunch? He could tell Inej had potential, as well as the huge blond boy. What about the others? He could simply have to find out.

            The week wore on and Kaz gathered more intel about the professors. McGonagall was stern but never cruel. He could tell she had seen a great deal of suffering throughout her life, and only wanted to use her strict curriculum to protect and guide each student to their full potential. Professor Flitwick was a bit one-dimensional for Kaz’s taste, not much going on. Sprout was probably the most openly passionate about her class. She acted as a doting mother, worrying over each plant and student carefully and nurturing.

            The professor Kaz was most excited to learn from was Severus Snape. He was the ultimate safe to crack, and Kaz hardly had a chance to even see him, let alone observe him. Every Gryffindor was convinced Snape preferred the Slytherin over every other house. The Gryffindors hated the Slytherin, but Kaz didn’t mind it. He wasn’t particularly those arrogant bastards’ biggest fan either.

            When Friday finally rolled around, Kaz was once again eating lunch, completely unbothered by his classmates. He chewed silently, reading over the chapters McGonagall had assigned them that day. He had already read those four times, but his developing photographic memory paired with his endless determination, he was sure to ace his first quiz on Monday.

            But all thoughts were sucked from his brain in an instant when a Slytherin student, Kuwei Yol-Bo, with black hair and golden eyes approached him. “Hey,” he had said, and he looked as though he was going to say something else, but Kaz was only concerned with the very moment Kuwei’s hand clapped on Kaz’s back, his finger making contact with the exposed skin of Kaz’s neck. A crashing wave of revulsion swept over Kaz and dragged him into nauseous oblivion. His vision blurred, black spotting and taking over. Several heartbeats later, he felt himself moving but didn’t know how because his hands were numb and his bad leg buckled under his weight. He felt something slippery beneath his hands. Out of the corner of his eye, Kuwei was crying and clutching his hand, but Kaz didn’t care. He couldn’t breathe. The place where the boy touched him burned like a white-hot iron brand, sizzling deep into his skin.

            He was sure he was not only blind but deaf now. The entire room was silent, and even Kuwei’s weeping was muted. Kaz’s head lurched to the side and a new wave of nausea took over.

            That’s when Kaz Brekker passed out.

 

            He awoke in a bed that was too stiff and too soft at the same time. He felt like his back was about to sink through the bottom of the mattress and thud on the floor. He felt something cool on his forehead and when he reached his hand up to touch it, he found a cold damp cloth there. Panic seized his chest for a few fleeting moments, his surroundings completely unfamiliar. But this wasn’t a boat, and he wasn’t surrounded by swollen skin and discolored limbs, and he was okay. _You’re okay,_ he screamed at himself, and he finally took a deep breath.

            The ceiling was dark and when he turned his head, there were several beds next to his.

            _The hospital wing,_ Kaz realized. The nurse of the wing, Madam Pomfrey, was approaching him with concerned blue eyes.

            “Ah, you’re awake,” she crowed happily, leaning down to take the cloth off of his head. His instincts kicked in instantly and he swatted her hand away in one swift motion. She retracted her hand, looking a bit stunned but not overly surprised.

            “Hands off,” he growled, his throat suddenly feeling raw and lined with acid. What had happened before he lost consciousness?

            “You gave us quite a scare back there,” Madam Pomfrey said quietly. “Do you remember any of it? You got quite a conk on the head.”

            Her words rung off his head and he was instantly reminded of a migraine that was throbbing in his head, dotting his eyesight ever-so slightly. “I don’t.”

            “You almost broke the poor boy’s fingers off, that’s what,” she said with a little chuckle. “We know it was an accident, though,” she reassured when the color drained out of Kaz’s face. “You stumbled about, according to the witnesses, and then proceeded to vomit up your lunch on the floor.”

            This was worse than he expected. He had made a fool of himself in the middle of lunch, for everyone to see and mock. He was going to be the laughing stock of the entire school. Just because Kuwei Yul-Bo touched his neck by accident.

            Kaz pulled himself up, ignoring the raging storm in his head. “What time is it?”

            Pomfrey consulted her watch. “Just a tick after one. But you really ought to-”

            Kaz didn’t have time to feed her worries and concern. He grabbed his cane that was leaned up against the bed and he made his way to the other end of the room, trying not to lose consciousness once again and ignoring the shearing pain in his leg. He had to get to Potions unless he wanted to wait another five days to meet Snape.

            “Ah, Mister Brekker!” she called to him, “You might want to – ”

            “Piss off!” he replied, and kept walking.

            Somehow, through blinding pain and stumbling on his cane, he flung his body’s weight onto the dungeon door, not quite anticipating the shift of weight. He staggered into the classroom as it fell completely silent. Every head turned in his direction, every pair of eyes boring into Kaz’s skin like pieces of flaming shrapnel.

            “Mister Brekker,” said a quiet, nasally voice. _Snape._

The professor’s skin was pale and clammy, his dark hair greasy and too long, framing his face but not complimenting it. His eyes were shiny and his complexion gave the impression that he was deathly ill. The very sight of his face reminded Kaz of hundreds of dead eyes, blue lips, empty lungs.

Suddenly, Kaz was not at all prepared for this confrontation. He had thrown up in the middle of lunch, almost ripped an innocent boy’s fingers off, and passed out in a matter of ten seconds. Of course, the other students were going to mock him. Snape probably knew about it as well. A great first impression.

            “Glad to see you’ll be joining us at last,” Snape droned on, sounding unimpressed. Kaz ducked his head and limped to the front of the class where the Slytherins were seated. Kuwei’s hand looked back to normal, but his eyes were still a bit red from the crying. Kaz didn’t want to be cruel, so he shot a slightly apologetic look in his direction. Kuwei gave a small smile and mouthed, “It’s okay”. It did little comfort. He took a place as far back as he could, trying to blend in with the rest. Unfortunately, Snape wasn’t in the forgiving mood.

            “It’s shame you’re sitting so far back,” Snape said, “after the spectacle you made at lunch.

            Kaz barely had time to register what he was to say before the words spat out. “Well, I didn’t quite do it on purpose, now, did I?”

            Snape’s eyes stayed bitter, but an eyebrow rose, and Kaz prepared for hell. “Tell me, Mister Brekker: what’s the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?” There was challenge in his tone, and Kaz was more than prepared for the dare.

            “I don’t know why you’re asking me, sir. You should know they’re the same type of plant, shouldn’t you? I mean, after all, you _are_ the professor here.” His temper was too short, and his leg and head ached too much to be any more polite.

            Snape’s face went slack for a split moment and Kaz’s heart beat out of his chest as the murmurs around the room rose slightly. He glanced around and saw Jesper desperately trying to stifle his laughter. He looked back at Snape, searching for some sign of emotion.

            And then the most exiguous, barest of smiles twitched around the professor’s thin, pale lips. “Very well, then. Yes, Dumbledore told me about you. Sharp wits and a quick tongue, he had said. "You’ll do fine here.”

            The murmurs in the room became louder as the students mumbled their misunderstanding or jealousy of the situation. _Kaz Brekker got away with mouthing off to the teacher,_ he could almost hear them saying. The Slytherins looked at him in awe, the Gryffindors with disgust, the Ravenclaws with uncertainty, and the Hufflepuffs with pure confusion.   

            The rest of the class went as smoothly as possible. Severus was a ruthless teacher and wasn’t afraid to criticize wherever he saw fit. He even corrected Kaz a couple of times, which he didn’t mind. He wanted to learn as much as possible before the class ended, even if Snape did look like a corpse.

            Kaz wasn’t quite sure what to make of his interaction with the Potions instructor. Did Snape hate him now in cold civility, or was he truly impressed with Kaz’s snarky and temerarious tongue? Kaz was sure he didn’t imagine the clever glint in his professor’s eye.

            As he limped to his next class, his first Defense of the Dark Arts class, students avoided him. He could hear their whispers that they were too afraid to voice in Potions. _Gimp. Lame. Cripple._

            He had prepared himself for social ridicule a long time coming, but in his deepest heart of hearts, the words still stung. The only consolation was the side-stepping and slight gasps if Kaz lurched to close to them. They were frightened of him.

            “Are you excited for this class?”

            Kaz nearly jumped out of his skin. Inej Ghafa had quite nearly materialized out of thin air beside him, keeping in time with his stride. For a terrifying second, he thought she had used magic to appear but quickly shook the thought out of his head. It was simply too complex.

            “How did you do that?” he asked without thinking.

            She looked at him with innocent eyes. “Do what?”

            “No one is able to sneak up on me. So how did you?” Kaz wasn’t sure why he asked so openly. He just had to know.

            “Perhaps I can show you how later,” she said, though he knew his leg would never allow that to become a possibility. “But you didn’t answer my question.”

            “Excited is a bit of a stretch.”

            “I hear Pekka Rollins is one of the best professors at the school. My mother had him when she was younger. He was just barely an adult then, she told me. Young and spritely. I imagine he’s a bit slower now, but just as good, if not better.”

            “He’s been around a long time then, I assume,” Kaz said, forcing the dullness in his voice. Inej’s voice was grounding him, keeping his hands from shaking. His stomach was still in tatters since lunch, and the sight of Snape, he had to admit, had shaken him. Inej wouldn’t ever know he was hanging onto every word.

            “Are you alright?” she asked suddenly, stopping him mid-step.

            He made sure not to look in her eye. “Peachy.”

            “Why did you do that to that Shu boy? Did he hurt you?”

            _More than you would ever understand._ Kaz adjusted his book bag that had been digging into his shoulder painfully.

            “I don’t want to talk about it.” Why was this girl so nosy anyhow? They barely even knew each other, and she was hardly indebted to him. Everyone feared him now, so why didn’t she?

            They walked to class together in silence, which was unexpectedly comfortable, and parted ways at the door. Kuwei seemed to be well over his injury, but the rest of the Slytherin house was not. Pekka Rollins seemed to be running a bit late, which was strange. Are professors allowed to be late for their own class?

            “Why’d you blow chunks at lunch?”

            “Can you file a lawsuit if it was food poisoning?”

            “Can food poisoning even happen in magic?”

            “You should’ve seen McGonagall’s face, it was priceless!”

            Kaz ignored each and every one of their comments and questions until they eventually gave up and discussed their theories amongst themselves. _Let them talk. They’ll forget it soon enough._

           The classroom door swung open, and the class instantly snapped to attention. A man with a long knitted coat stumbled into the room.

            “So sorry, students!” he exclaimed, and Kaz froze. “Got in a bit of a tangle with that blasted Peeves, that nasty poltergeist. Let’s get started, shall we? There is much to do!”

            For the first time since Kaz left the orphanage, true, pure, unadulterated fear gripped his body. He felt as though he had been punched in the gut, all air escaping his lungs in one powerful blow. He could smell the hot chocolate, feel the red ribbon between his fingers, hear the sound of wind-up dogs. It all came crashing in a wave of anguish and paralyzed him beyond reason.

            Pekka Rollins was a jolly looking man, with brilliant red hair with shots of faded grey. His beard gave him the illusion of a ginger Santa Claus, though he was more brawn than tubby. His eyes pierced the air and staked Kaz through the heart. His rosy lips moved as he introduced himself and the class, but Kaz couldn’t hear a word. He knew it was all a lie anyways.

            _How?_ Kaz wanted so badly for his eyes to deceive him, but the memories came back too forceful for there to be any doubt in his mind. Because his professor, though he had on an innocent frumpy coat and a joyful glint in his eye, was a conniving, rotten scoundrel who deserves to be doused in oil and burned slowly at the stake. But perhaps that was too merciful. The fury in Kaz’s heart was unholy, new, raw, and unsullied. His thoughts went beyond homicidal, and it didn’t scare him one bit.

            Because Pekka Rollins was Jakob Hertzoon, and there was nothing anyone could do to convince Kaz Brekker otherwise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you who are wailing "But this isn't the Kaz I know!", you're absolutely correct. This isn't the Kaz you know because the Kaz we all know is seventeen. This is mini-Kaz, newly orphaned and merely months from his first initial trauma. He's uncertain of his future, he's angry at everything, but not exactly cruel yet. If you have any questions as to where I'm taking this character, please comment your questions! I love answering them. Remember, character development is important, and I've had to rewind this character development, so by the end of the seventh year, he's about where he is at the end of Crooked Kingdom. It might be confusing, so don't be afraid to ask. :) Thanks so much for readddinggggg I love you all <3


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